SOUTHEND High School for Boys defended the borough schools cross-country championships for the 31st consecutive year and picked up a title in the girls category for a second year running.

The Boys school had a clean sweep of wins from Year 7 to Years 12 and 13 in the boys races at Blenheim Park, Leigh.

It is believed the 31-year-unbroken run is the best in the country for a school team winning an annual sporting event.

The school’s sixth form girls also had success as they ensured they beat competition from Southend High School for Girls to win the team title.

Otherwise, it was another successful day for the Girls school, who won all of the girls races, bar the sixth-form competition.

Individual winners were spread across the borough schools.

The closest race of the day turned out to be in the Year 7 boys where a terrific tussle in the final 800m between Sam Wheatley (St Thomas More) and Will Boag (Belfairs) saw Wheatley win by a second on the line. Lucas McNama (SHSB) was third.

In the Year 7 girls race, Eastwood School’s Felicity Galbally took the honours, finishing ahead of Grace Ralston of St Bernards and Isabelle Bates from Southend High School for Girls.

It was a one-two-three for Southend High School for Boys in the Year 8 boys race as Mitchell Lawrence, Matthew Oakley and Thomas Jorge dominated.

Thorpe Hall School’s Meghan Samuels was the Year 8 girls winner ahead of Southend High School for Girls pair Joanna Rimmington and Juliette Le Mare.

Eastwood’s Gus Withers ran away with the Year 9 boys race with Mesope Oyelola (Southend High School for Boys) and Toby Wright (Shoebury) second and third.

Katie Faint was a convincing winner in the Year 9 girls race with her Southend High School for Girls team-mates Megan Richardson and Iona Doyle following her home.

Laurence Willmore (Southend High School for Boys) was first across the line in the Year 10/11 boys race, finishing 20 seconds ahead of George Elliott (Eastwood), with Adam Jordan (Shoebury) third.

The most dominant win of the day came from Victoria Hiscock, of Southend High School for Girls, in the Year 10/11 girls race, as she finished nearly a minute ahead of team-mate Natasha May, who just pipped Abigail Uden (also Southend High) to second.

St Thomas More School’s Rob Frith won the Year 12/13 boys race, finishing ahead of James Nadin (South Essex College) and Joe Ray (Southend High School for Boys).

Westcliff High School for Boys’ Alice Perkins got the better of Southend High School for Boys’ Sophie Riches to win the Year 12/13 girls race, with Jordan Lacey of South Essex College in third.